For anyone who’s dealing with bunions (unnatural, bony protuberances that appear at the base of your big toe or, less commonly, your baby toe), chances are you’ve at least contemplated the thought of getting rid of them with surgery.

What you may not realize is that this kind of operation is actually a big deal, so you really need to know what you’re getting in to before you opt to give up on less-invasive treatment options (such as padding, shoe changes and inserts) and decide to go under the knife.

In a bunionectomy procedure, the bones that have come out of alignment, causing the unwanted bumps) are cut and forced back into place so that a straight line can go from the foot to the toes.

Although the procedure itself is fairly quick, usually only lasting about an hour, the recovery period lasts about eight weeks (during which time you may not be able to bear putting any weight on the affected foot, which is why many people choose to only do one foot at a time, even if they have bunions on both.) Even after the acute recovery period, swelling in the affected foot may last for up to a year.

For some people, the pain and inconvenience they experience as a result of their bunions is great enough to warrant surgery, but, if your bunions are small or have only recently formed, there are measures you can take with your Houston podiatrist to avoid having to undergo surgery.

The sooner you see your doctor about your bunions, the more likely it is that non-invasive interventions will successfully stop the progression of these bumps and also keep the pain to a minimum. As soon as you notice a bump that could be a bunion, schedule an appointment with Dr. Andrew Schneider.